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Pac-10 Preview
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Stewart Mandel's Projected Standings
(Projected overall record in parentheses)
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1
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USC
7-1 (11-1)
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For all their ridiculously athletic skill players, the Trojans' strength should be their dominant defensive front.
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2
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Cal
6-2 (9-2)
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Jeff Tedford's latest QB prodigy, Aaron Rodgers, forms a lethal combo with 1,500-yard receiver Geoff McArthur.
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3
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Oregon
6-2 (8-3)
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Talented QB Kellen Clemens finally gets to run the show himself, with the help of several talented skill players.
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4
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Arizona State
5-3 (7-4)
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Prolific QB Andrew Walter returns for what could be a crucial season for fourth-year coach Dirk Koetter.
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5
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Oregon State
4-4 (6-5)
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The Beavers have a very underrated defense, but QB Derek Anderson must cut down on his interceptions.
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5
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Washington State
4-4 (6-5)
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The Cougars, with just six returning starters, must rebuild following three straight 10-win seasons.
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7
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Washington
3-5 (4-7)
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Times are tough for the Huskies, who are struggling to find their offensive identity under Keith Gilbertson.
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7
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UCLA
3-5 (4-7)
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The good news is the offense should be improved. The bad news is the young defense could be a setback.
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9
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Stanford
1-7 (3-8)
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Buddy Teevens' job won't get any easier due to a freshman- and sophomore-dominated offensive line.
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10
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Arizona
1-7 (2-9)
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The rebuilding process begins under Mike Stoops, who has good skill players but little to work with on defense.
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Photo credit: Jeff Gross/Getty Images
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Cream of the Crop
Matt Leinart, QB, USC: A popular preseason Heisman choice, Leinart picked apart defenses for 3,556 yards, 38 touchdowns and just nine interceptions last season.
Geoff McArthur, WR, Cal: Only Larry Fitzgerald had more receiving yards last season than McArthur's 1,504.
Will Derting, LB, Washington State: Derting, who moves to the middle this season, had 86 tackles, 12.5 of them for loss, as a sophomore.
Shaun Cody, DE, USC: After dominating as a tackle the past two seasons, Cody moves to end where he looks to become a sack machine.
Aaron Rodgers, QB, Cal: Rodgers won the starting job midway through last season and went on to pass for 2,903 yards with just five picks.
Others: Reggie Bush, RB/KR, USC; Andrew Walter, QB, Arizona State; Bill Swancutt, DE, Oregon State; Donnie McCleskey, S, Cal; Mike Patterson, DT, USC.
Poised for a Breakout
Haloti Ngata, DT, Oregon: After missing all of last season with a knee injury, the 2002 freshman All-America should return to dominance.
Dwayne Jarrett, WR, USC: The most developed of USC's three freshman receivers, the 6-foot-5 Jarrett could be Mike Williams' heir apparent.
Kenny James, RB, Washington: The Huskies' starter the last five games of 2003, the sophomore has the skills to become a go-to guy.
Others: Josh Swogger, QB, Washington State; Steve Smith, WR, USC; Kevin Brown, DT, UCLA; Rudy Burgess, WR, Arizona State; Joe Newton, TE, Oregon State.
Burning Questions
Will he or won't he? USC, and all the Pac-10 for that matter, waits on pins and needles for the NCAA to decide whether superstar receiver Mike Williams will be reinstated. Without him, the Trojans have a talented but thin receiving corps. With him, they add the top player in college football.
Can Oregon stop the pass? After finishing the 2001 season as the No. 2 team in the country, the Ducks slipped back to the middle of the pack the past two seasons, due in large part to a horrendous secondary. The other pieces are in place for a return to contention if the unit can finally shore itself up.
Will Karl Dorrell survive? Few have faced a rougher debut than the Bruins' first-time head coach, who came under heavy criticism for a season-ending, five-game losing streak, which was followed by an offseason staff shakeup. He needs a strong follow-up effort to regain the confidence of his fan base.
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